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Joe Thornton Named To Canadian Olympic Team

by
Staff Writer
/ San Jose Sharks

Hockey Canada announced today that San Jose Sharks center Joe Thornton was named to Team Canada’s men’s ice hockey team that will compete at the 2006 Winter Olympic Games. The Olympics will be held from Feb. 15-23 in Torino, Italy. Sharks teammates Patrick Marleau and Scott Hannan just missed making the team, as they were recognized on the short list of finalists for the Canadian squad.

The 2006 Winter Olympic Games will mark the sixth time that Thornton has represented Canada internationally. He won a silver medal with Canada at the 2005 IIHF Men’s World Championship in Austria where he was an alternate captain. Thornton led the tournament in scoring, was named Tournament MVP and tabbed to the 2005 World Championship All-Star Team. His 16 points (six goals, ten assists) in nine games rank him third all-time among Team Canada scorers in an individual World Championship Tournament.

Thornton has been a member of Team Canada’s Gold-medal winning teams at the 2004 World Cup of Hockey, 2001 IIHF Men’s World Championships, 1997 IIHF World Junior Championships and the Canadian Under-18 team at the Pacific Cup in 1996.

Thornton currently leads the NHL in assists (37), is tied for second in the league in points (49), and is on a 14-game point-streak (five goals, 17 assists for 22 points). His current eight-game assist streak ties a Sharks franchise record. In addition, he has posted at least one point in all eight games (3-13=16) with the Sharks and has registered at least one point in 87.1% of his games played this season (27/31).

The eight-year veteran was named to the NHL Second All-Start team in 2002-03 when he set career highs in goals (36), assists (65) and points (101). He followed that campaign by leading the Boston Bruins in points (73 - 23 goals, 50 assists) for the fifth consecutive season in 2003-04.

The six-foot-four, 225-pound native of London, Ontario was acquired by San Jose from Boston in exchange for LW Marco Sturm, C Wayne Primeau, and D Brad Stuart on November 30, 2005. He was originally selected by the Boston Bruins in the first round (first overall) in the 1997 NHL Entry Draft.